Stationary chemical-mixing fire-extinguisher system



July 24, 1923' J. W. ENRIGHT.

STATIONARY CHEMICAL MIXING FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTEM Filed Nov, 23

' [tension 7 of the tank 1, located at its upper Patented July 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES v 11,463,012 PATENT eerie-15:;-

JOHN W. ENRIGI-IT, OF NEW ORLEANS,'LOUISIANA.

STATIONARY CHEMICAL-MIXING rrn-n-nx'rrnenrsirna SYSTEM.

Application filed November as, 1920. Serial no. 426,021.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN W. ENRIGHT, a citizen of the United States of America residing at New Orleans, in the parish of' Orleans and State of Louisiana, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Stationary Chemical-Mixing Fire-Extinguisher Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher systems, which are devoid of moving mechanical parts, and operate automatically under fire emergency conditions. The objects of the invention, are to insure the prompt and certain automatic operation of the system and to insurea reg ular and continuous supply of acid to the alkaline solution, thereby providing for the discharge of substantially the entire volume of alkaline solution at a substantially uni form pressure.

In the illustrative embodiment ofthe in vention shown the system includes the usual tank 1, for an alkaline solution, and a riser 2 extending from said tank throughout the height of the building. In the embodiment disclosed, the-riser is connected at its upper end to a reservoir 16, which is in turn connected to the upper end of a stand-pipe 15, from which extend the leaders or laterals 17 carrying the sprinkler heads or distributing valves 18. The reservoir 16,,stand-pipe 15, and leadersor laterals 17, are filled with an extinguishing liquid, preferably of a nonfreezing' character. The lower end ofthe stand-pipe 15, projects into a reservoir 6 containing mercury. The system also includes a container 5, which connects to the reservoir 6 by a pipe 1 1, the pipe .14; extending into the mercury in the reservoir 6; the system also includes a discharge pipe 10 for discharging liquid from the container 5, and connects therewith through the pipes 14 and 13 which form a trap for. a mercury seal, a

'. vent pipe 22 also connects the pipe 10 with the upper end of the container 5. The system also includes a primary acid receptacle 3, which is preferably arranged in an exsideithereof. The primary acid receptacle 3, incloses an acid discharge siphon pipe .8, projecting externally of said receptacle and discharging into the tank- 1; g H

The amount of acid discharged from the primary'acid receptacle being sufficient to generate the initial working pressure. The system also includes a secondary acid "receptacle 4, located in the extension 7, of the tank 1, which encloses a discharge pipe 9, discharging at its upper end into the tankl. The air space in the secondary acid receptacle normally has free and unrestricted communication with the air. space in the tank 1, for preventingpressure differences, this communication consists of a pipe 12and a trap 21 into which mercury is discharged under fire emergency conditions,to seal said communication as will be explained later. The system also includes a reservoir 11,-ha'ving a discharge outlet in its bottom,"forining a trap 19 for a mercury seal. The discharge outlet connects to the trap 21, and discharges through the outlet 23, into the tank 1. The discharge siphon leg 8,extends into said reservoir, and the discharge pipe, 10-, discharges into the reservoirll. I i i The operation of the system is as follows j After the tank 1 has been filled with the requisite amount of alkaline solution, and acid has been placed in the primary receptacle 3, and secondary receptacle 4, and mercury has been placed in the reservoir 6, and trap 19, the reservoir 16, the stand pipe 15,] and leaders or laterals 17,*are filled with extinguishing liquid, the weight of this liquid is effective to displace the mercury in the reservoir 6, i. e.: to force a column of mercury up pipe 14, into the trap 13; The container 5, thereupon is filled witha liquid, and the system is now ready for operation.

WVith a sprinkler head or distributer valve 18, is opened under fire emergencycondi- .tions, the extinguisher liquid in reservoir 16 is dischargedand' the pressure on the 'mercury in the reservoirffi, is relieved with the resultthat the mercury column recedes from the trap 13 allowing the liquid in the container 5to flow through the trap 13, and pipe 10 into the reservoir 11- where it is retained by the mercury seal in trap 19, the

liquid rising in the leg of the siphon-pipe 8, as it rises in the reservoir '11, until its through the outlet 23, the discharge of distributing pipe containing fluid which is antiliz fed ,to "IIiaintain theT mercury ;trap nor- 20 preventing 'pressuredi Pfe-renees between receptacle 3, and tank, 1. The high pressure gases generated-in the solution tank 10,1, consequent,touthermixing, of the chem- ,,iicalsy,passes'gthrough the pipe Q'tojthe sec- ;'ondary receptacle 4,:Where.ithis:trapped by f the-amercury seal ,in the trap: 21 and, be-

vcrating means operating onithe emergency comes'e-flective to eject vacid from the secondary .acid receptacle as; soon, as

-.-s ure,:.in the tank-falls below the trapped pressure in :the ,Hsecondary" acid receptacle. wlnthisiwayithepperationof the system is :maintained continuously and at a substanv-,-[11"illy ;juni'formed rate}, of pressure. ""The the pres-,

pghighupres sure,:passesfthrough pipe 10,, 13,

.qandr-il l; entering reservoir: 6,. a column of ,,mercury up pipe '15. This -:columnpfi,mercurylactsfas, aj-seal to, pre- 25,., egnt,:tl1e vescape. of. highpressure gases into i 1 the leaders, or, laterals, J17 Heretofore, the

iorces a ;-'siph0ning 'ot acid was-winitiated byuarsucw 1 ,tion impulse or pressure ,diflerence trans- I remittedtdlthe acid by a suction pipe connection betWeen'Q-the.-. acid receptacle and the -.V;.-,upp er :end of I'thef, distributing system. Thi s required considerable piping tWhQIQLtllQ: systemwisv installed in.) a very especially i-lhigh: building. and. Where slight leakage in ,..the suction pipe may easily render the' sys- ,.teiminop erative. T, In myvinventioml :use no connection whatsoever between the distributing .systemr and f the. acid rece.ptacle.

v liiH aving'i fully described my i invention I claim. I

" l? J11 astationarylchemical mixing'fire ex- ,tinguisher, system, a ,.,ta":(1k for an alkaline solution, .a. reservoirltor a, liquid medium ahawingidischarge outlet, anmercury seal,

a5 ,nornially'interposed. in said .o'utlet,,an acid m'ally operative as a seal for said outlet, a pipe'through Which the liquid flows from saidgcontainer to saidqreservoir under fire emergency conditions, the Weight of said --li qu-id overcoming saidcseal,fiaz-initiating the siphoning of acid from said receptacle When the liquid 187 thus automatically discharged from said reservoir.

3. Ina chenncal mixingfire extinguishj ing system, a solution :tank, 'aniacid' receptacle having: adischargegsiphon pipe-,-co1oping system, a" distributer system, az'connected solution tank," an acid receptacle, means a of communication between the air 'spaces of said receptacle and 'tank, said" means com prising "apipe, and aw-trap for; a leody of mercury, a reservoirhfor' a liquidvelement, a" discharge outlet for said reservoir, a mercury. eal in said discharge;outletwand liquid means operating on the-"emergency condition of the system for .ejectin'gthe mercury seal from the discharge outlet and discharging said'mercuryinto said'trap' for-sealing said communication 'betvveen' the air spaces ofsaid receptacle and -.'tank.

ing system distributer-"system, a tank for receptacle having a' discharge siphon pipe,

o'ne legjof Which extends into the said reservoir," and means operativeunder'" fire emer ;,;gency conditions'flfor charging said reservoir with" liquid, the liquid "entering-said siphon leg, the Weight ofthe .liquidnltiinately, overcoming the mercury or said seal .,,aIid discharging therefrom, ;the discharge element," 'an acid "receptacle having a 'discharge. siphon 'pipehaving' ardischarge leg extending into said reservoir, Land means acting tmderfire-- emergency conditions for ,means, of communication betweenthe air spaces ofthe supply-"tank and acid receptacle, a liquid element operating on the emergency condition of the" system to seal-= said offthe, liquid from the reservoir andsiphon.

55 legi initiating the siphoning of, acidi from the, acid receptacle. V

@Qljln a-,"chem1cal mix ng fire extinguishing systems, tank for an alkaline solution,

1a. reservoir" for, a liquid mediumyan outlet fontsa'id, reservo r, a mercury seal controlling, Said outlet an acid receptacle having a"discharge,'siphon pipe-ihaving a} leg eX- .,;tenfding vintoflthe said reservoir a :c0n-.,

t'ainer'cfor a liquid medium, aimercuryptrapcontrolling the out-let of said container, a

communicationj-for trapping high pressure gases mytheacid receptacle, a pipe for discharging acid from saidrece-ptaicle 's'aicl acid discharge beinginfluenc'ed by the trapped highupressure-gases. r c

' 7 in; achemical mixing fi re extinguisher system, a"tanlr'if-orv an 'alkaline' solntion, an acid receptacle; a conneotedi'siphon discharge pipe means operable under fire emergency conditions for putting a' liquid in saidsiphon} discharge pipe and: means displa-ceable thy the weight of said liquid for I discharging a liquid," has, the said reservoir permitting the outflow of said li uid, thereby creating a suction impulse an mitlating the siphoning of acid from said receptacle.

8. In a chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a distributer system, a tank for an alkaline solution, a liquid container, an acid receptacle, means acting under fire emerency conditions for discharging liquid from said container into said tank and means whereby the dischar e of the liquid into said tank initiates the lscharge of acid from said receptacle.

9. In a chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, a reservoir for a liquid medium,an acid receptacle having a siphon dischargepipe the discharge leg of Which terminates in said reservoir, means acting under fire emergency conditions for charging said reservoir and said discharge leg, means controlling the outlet to said reservoir displaceable by the weight of the column of liquid in said reservoir to permit discharge of said liquid therefrom, thereby creating a suction impulse in the siphon discharge pipe sufficient to initiate the siphoning of acid from said receptacle.

10. In a chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution, a container for a liquid medium, a normally empty reservoir, an acid receptacle provided with a discharge siphon-pipe having a discharge leg extending into said reservoir, means acting under fire emergency conditions for discharging said liquid medium into said reservoir and a discharge leg, and means for controlling theoutlet of said res t ervoir and displaceable by the weight of said liquid in saidreservoir to permit discharge ofsaid' liquid therfrom, thereby creating a suction impulse in said, siphon discharge pipe, for initiating the discharge of acid from said receptacle,

11. In a chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank foran alkaline solution, a normally empty reservoir, having a mercury seal in its discharge outlet, an acidreceptacle having a discharge siphon-pipe extending into said reservoir, means acting under fire emergency conditions for discharging liquid into said reservoir, the weight of said liquid ultimately overcoming the mercury of said seal. and discharging therefrom the discharge'of liquid from said reservoir creating a suction impulse in the discharge siphon-pipe. V In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing 'Wit- JOHN W. ENRIGHT. Witnesses:

HUGH W. WILKINSON, LOUISE PLUNKETT. 

